A flu outbreak at Air Force Basic Military Training has killed one recruit and sickened more than 280 others at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, according to the congressman who represents the base.
Personnel
The Air Force is developing a new enlisted job specialty to defend bases against missile and drone attacks. Alarming damage to air bases across the Middle East during Operation Epic Fury focused leaders’ attention on the requirement.
President Donald Trump has nominated 20 Air Force brigadier generals for another star, according to a June 22 Pentagon announcement, including the heads of recruiting, ICBM acquisition, and a top training center.
The Air Force’s promotion rate for new technical sergeants is holding steady in 2026 at around one-quarter of those eligible—but a sharp decline in the pool of those considered means the total number of new E-6s will be much lower.
DAF Personnel by the numbers: Total Force; end strength and manpower trends; breakdowns by sex, rank, region, command, Air Force Specialty Codes, and more.
When Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman addressed the graduating class of the Air Force Weapons School on June 13, he marked a milestone as the first Guardian to do so—and gave a sneak peek of the service’s new mess dress.
Exceptional Airmen and Guardian Faces of the Force.
We’ll Bring You Home: USAF’s Unwritten Contract with Every Combat Pilot By Matthew Cox and Stephen Losey When a U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down over Iran and its pilot and weapons systems officer ejected into unfriendly territory in...
Space Force Accelerates On-Orbit Refueling By Courtney Albon As the Space Force makes plans for two on-orbit refueling and maneuver demonstrations in 2027—and closely watches similar government and commercial endeavors—the service official overseeing the effort says he want to take...